50 pounds is a lot of weight to lose. The hardest part is often getting started, but once you’ve made the commitment and started seeing results, it can be an amazing experience.
There are many benefits to losing a moderate amount of weight, including improved health, increased energy, and boosted self-esteem (2).
However, while the physical benefits are great, there are also some side effects that come along with extreme weight loss that are not so great (1).
If you’re ready to embark on your own weight-loss journey, here’s what you need to know about the good and bad of losing 50 pounds and why the journey will be worth it in the end.
The benefits of losing 50 pounds are numerous and here are just a few of the many positive changes you can expect to experience:
This is perhaps the most obvious benefit of losing weight, but also one of the most important. Carrying around extra weight puts a lot of strain on your body and can contribute to serious health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and more.
However, as you lose weight, your risks for these diseases may decrease dramatically (8).
In fact, losing 5 to 10% of your body weight (if you’re overweight or obese) can have a significant impact on your health. So, if you’re 50 pounds overweight, dropping some of those pounds will likely do wonders for your health and well-being.
When you’re carrying around extra weight, it takes a lot more energy to perform everyday tasks. Just think about how much harder it is to walk up a flight of stairs when you’re overweight as opposed to when you’re at a healthy weight.
As you lose weight, your body will require less energy to perform the same activities. You’ll have more energy to play with your kids, go for a walk, or even just do the household chores. In addition, as you won’t be as exhausted, you’ll be able to enjoy your increased energy levels even more.
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Being obese or overweight often contributes to sleep problems such as sleep apnea and insomnia, but as you lose weight, your sleep should improve.
You may be able to breathe better and you will be less likely to wake up in the middle of the night. Therefore, you’ll wake up feeling more well-rested. As good sleep is essential for health and well-being, this is a major benefit of weight loss.
It has been suggested that obesity is associated with impairments in memory and cognitive function. The reason is unclear, but it’s believed that the chronic low-grade inflammation in the body caused by obesity may be to blame.
The good news is that as you lose weight, this inflammation decreases, and your memory and cognitive function may improve. So, if you’ve been struggling with forgetfulness or mental fog, weight loss could help you out (4).
Being overweight can contribute to sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction and low libido. However, as you lose weight, these problems often improve.
The reasons are unclear, but one possibility is that carrying around extra weight can damage your blood vessels and nerves, which can lead to erectile dysfunction. Losing weight may help improve blood flow and reduce nerve damage, which makes it easier to achieve and maintain an erection.
In addition, as obesity has been linked to altered testosterone levels in men, losing weight may also increase your libido. Testosterone is the hormone that is responsible for your sex drive, so balanced levels may make you more interested in sex.
It may also be as simple as improved confidence and self-esteem after weight loss making you more interested in sex.
The benefits of weight loss for sexual health aren’t limited to men and women can also experience improved sexual function after weight loss (5).
Read more: How To Lose 3 Pounds a Week According To Experts
If you’re overweight, your joints must bear the brunt of your extra weight. This can lead to joint pain and stiffness, particularly in the knees and hips.
However, as you lose weight, the pressure on your joints decreases. This can help relieve pain and stiffness, which makes it easier to move around and stay active (6).
If you’ve been carrying around extra weight for a long time, this can really take a toll on your self-esteem. When you can’t accomplish simple tasks or you don’t feel good in your own skin, it’s difficult to feel confident and happy.
As you lose weight, you’ll probably start to feel better about yourself. You’ll be able to do things you couldn’t before and may feel more comfortable in your own skin. This increase in self-esteem can lead to even more success on your weight-loss journey as you’ll be motivated to keep going.
Some potential side effects that come with extreme weight loss that aren’t so great include:
One bad side effect of losing a lot of weight can be loose skin. When you lose weight quickly, your skin doesn’t have time to adjust and can end up sagging. This is particularly true if you’ve been carrying around extra weight for a long time (3).
How much loose skin you end up with is dependent on a number of factors, including your age, genetics, and how much weight you lose.
While there are some things you can do to help minimize loose skin (such as staying hydrated and eating a healthy diet), there’s no guaranteed way to prevent it. So, if you’re worried about loose skin, it’s important to keep this potential side effect in mind.
When you lose weight, you typically lose both fat and muscle. While it’s great to lose that extra fat, losing muscle mass can be detrimental to your health. Muscle mass is important for keeping your bones strong, your metabolism high, and your body functioning properly.
So, if you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important to focus on losing mostly fat, not muscle. This can be done by maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Strength-training exercises are particularly important as they help maintain and build muscle mass (10).
As you lose weight, your metabolism will naturally slow down. This is because your body requires fewer calories to function when you weigh less (9).
This can make losing extra weight and keeping it off in the long run more difficult. Therefore, if you’re trying to lose some pounds, it’s important to be aware of this potential side effect and put in extra effort to keep your metabolism high.
Evidence-based ways of doing this include exercising regularly, eating plenty of protein, and getting enough sleep.
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When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important to make sure you still get all the nutrients your body needs. However, if you’re not careful, it’s easy to become deficient in certain vitamins and minerals.
This is particularly true if you’re following a quite restrictive diet or if you’re not eating enough calories. So, if you’re trying to lose weight, make sure you eat a well-rounded diet and take a multivitamin if recommended by your doctor or registered dietitian to prevent any deficiencies.
Another side effect of weight loss is feeling colder than usual. This is because fat helps insulate your body and keeps you warm. When you lose fat, you may find that you need to wrap yourself up more than usual to stay comfortable.
This side effect generally goes away as your body adjusts to its new weight. In the meantime, try wearing layers of clothing to stay warm.
Loose skin is not the only cosmetic change you may notice after losing a lot of weight. You may also see stretch marks on your skin.
Stretch marks are common, particularly in people who have lost a lot of weight quickly. They generally appear as reddish or purplish lines on the skin.
Stretch marks are harmless, but if you don’t like the way they look, some treatments can help improve their appearance, such as skin care products that contain retinoids, laser therapy, and microdermabrasion.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a safe and healthy rate of weight loss is 1 to 2 pounds per week (8). At this rate, it would take you anywhere from 25 to 50 weeks to lose 50 pounds healthily.
Of course, the amount of time it takes to lose 50 pounds may vary depending on your individual weight loss journey. However, if you’re aiming to lose 50 pounds healthily, the CDC’s guidelines are a great starting point.
To lose 50 pounds and keep them off, you may need a sustainable approach to creating a calorie deficit. This means no crash diets or extreme restrictions.
Instead, you should focus on:
The simplest way to reduce calories is to eat smaller portions. This doesn’t mean you need to cut out your favorite foods completely, but make sure you only eat enough to fuel your body and don’t overeat (15).
Here are some handy portion-control tips to keep in mind:
Foods that are minimally processed and close to their natural form tend to be more nutrient-dense and filling, which can help curb cravings and keep you satisfied (16).
Here are some examples of whole foods to include in your diet:
Read more: Lose 20 Pounds In 2 Months With This Expert-Approved Guide
While diet is important for weight loss, exercise also plays an important role. Regular physical activity can help you create a calorie deficit and maintain muscle mass while losing fat (16).
If you’re new to exercise, start slowly and gradually increase your activity level over time. Find an activity you enjoy and can stick to consistently, whether this is walking, running, weightlifting, or something else (7).
Exercise that is great for weight loss includes:
In addition to portion control and regular exercise, making small changes to your daily habits can also contribute to healthy weight loss.
Here are some tips to help you make healthier lifestyle choices:
Losing 50 pounds can be a significant weight loss and you are likely to notice changes in your body’s appearance. However, the way weight loss is distributed varies for each individual.
Some common areas where people may notice changes after losing 50 pounds in a year include:
Thighs: Your legs may appear slimmer and your thighs may have less fat tissue
It’s common to experience loose skin after significant weight loss, but it can also depend on age, genetics, and the rate at which you lose weight. Gradual weight loss and strength training exercises can help improve skin elasticity and minimize loose skin.
If you do have excess skin that causes discomfort or hinders your daily activities, you should consider consulting a dermatologist or plastic surgeon for further advice.
In our Lose 20 Pounds in 2 Months post, we provide some tips for minimizing loose skin during weight loss.
Skin may not fully tighten and return to its original state after significant weight loss, as it has been stretched for an extended period. However, there are some steps you can take to help improve skin elasticity:
Our ‘1-Month Meal Plan’ blog post includes portion-controlled, whole-food options and easy recipes to help you create a calorie deficit. This is a great starting point for anyone who is looking to lose weight in a sustainable way.
You can’t actually feel your body losing weight, but you may notice changes in how your clothes fit, how you look in the mirror, and how you feel overall.
Other signs that your body is losing weight include:
These are some of the benefits of losing 50 pounds, but others include increased confidence, improved self-esteem, and a sense of accomplishment.
Losing 50 pounds in just 3 months may not be a realistic goal, and it may be unhealthy to try to lose weight at such a rapid pace. It’s recommended to aim for a weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week, which equates to approximately 12-24 pounds in 3 months.
While it may be tempting to pursue quick results, slow and steady progress is more sustainable and healthier in the long term. You should adopt lifestyle changes such as healthy eating that will keep the weight off (12).
In our blog post ‘Lose 70 Pounds in 6 Months’, we discuss in detail why setting realistic and achievable goals is important for successful weight loss.
Losing 50 pounds can have both good and bad side effects on your body. The good side effects include a lower risk of disease, improved self-esteem, and increased energy levels. However, the bad side effects can include loose skin, nutritional deficiencies, and a slower metabolism.
If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important to be aware of both the good and the bad side effects. This will help you better prepare for your weight loss journey and have realistic expectations.
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